mcclure



March 17, 1964 L C, MCCLURE, SR 3,124,992

ORGAN STOP SELECTOR Filed Sept. 6, 1960 l 4'Sheets-Sheet l 4a 2a 46 44d F/G. 4 /4 ,/2

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ls i 42 4o 38 56 Arron/vn March 17, 1964 L. c. MOCLURE, sR 3,124,992

ORGAN STOP SELECTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1960 FIG. 4. F/G. 5.

WILL,

A TTORNEY March 17, 1964 I C, MOCLURE, SR 3,124,992

' oRGAN sToP SELECTOR Filed sept. 6, 1960 4 sheets-sheet 5 I I l l l Jl 90. u i G o o o o :agglo o @"Q E $2/ l ,02 D 0 0-90 0 92 G 0 e 92 --r I A 4 l l 92 8 l ,Ll

Mach 17, 1964 C, MccLURE, SR 3,124,992

ORGAN STOP SELECTOR Filed Sept. 6, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. ll.

FIG. /4.

TTOH/VE'Y v By i "/I" Y 56. 234 viv United States Patent Oli ce 3,124,992 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 3,124,992 ORGAN LSTOP uSELECTOR Louis vC. McClure, Sr., 18.03 Sweetbrier St., Lancaster, Calif., assigner of one-hait to Carter P. Humphrey, Lancaster, Calif.

Filed Sept. 6, 196i), Ser. No. 54,271 4 Claims. (Cl. 84-345) `or no change to the other mechanisms for the Vcontrol `of electrical, hydraulic, air .or .other equipment for remotely relaying of selected combinations as may be initiated in Vthe device herein disclosed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. vrapid simultaneous selection of a plurality of pre-determined grgan stops through a single motion of the organists and.

Another and still further Vimportant object of the in- -vention is the provision of a device wherein all previously selected stops may be simultaneously cancelled.

Yet another object is to provide a device of the character mentioned wherein the stop may be manipulated in the usual vmanner without vany interference of the mechanism of the selector whereby a single stop vtablet may -be depressed in the usual manner, and without any delay or diiiiculty.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide an organ stop selector which may 'be manufactured as an integral part of Vthe stop tablet `mechanism on an organ, or -which may be manufactured and installed as an attachment or accessory yfor an organ and which may be installed on vexisting organs lor other related devices.

Other and further `important objects of Vthe invention will be -apparent from the disclosures in the accompany- -ing drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter -more 'fully described.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 -is a plan -view of an organ stop selector .which incorporates the elements of a unit as adapted to an organ, wherein the lstop tablets are of Athe rocker type.

FIGURE 2 is -a front elevation Aof the device illustrated in FIGURE I1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged `fragmentary 'View partly in sectionand parts broken away, -andfis taken on the plane of the line k3 3 of FIGURE 1 looking -in the direction --indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on lthe broken line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction indicated.

FIGURE 5 is a `view similarto FIGURE 4, "but showing `some of the elements lin another position.

`FIGURE 6 is also ya view somewhat similar to FIG-V `URES 4 and 5, but Lillustrates ,a modified form of the invention whichincludes an additional and different means for pivoting the stop-tablet actuators.

A'FIGURE 7 is a'partial view, parts being broken away takenon the line 7 7 of FIGURE 6, "looking toward the right- FIGURE 8 is a final elevation illustrating a further lrnottiiied form of the Voriginal invention in which .the stop- 'tablet actuators are moved ina rectilinearpattern `as `disofv-a shaft -22 .(PIGURE 3).

tinguished from-the circular motion from the previously described structures.

FIGURE 9is avertical transverse section taken on the plane `of theline 9-9 lof FIGURE 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fore-shortened section on `the line -10-10 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a modified form of stop-tablet actuator Cillustrating a pivoted, blade type of selector element.

. VFIGURE 12 is a fragmentary elevational View of the device vshown in FIGURE `11.

FIGURE 13 is a transverse vertical section `ot' 4a still further modified form of a selector unit, the unit being associated vwith an .organ inwhich-the stop .tablets project from a vertical stop board.

FIGURE 14 .is a .front elevation of the device shown in FIGURE 13, the view being fore-shortened and vparts removed .for `simplicity of illustration.

v As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral 12 indicates lgenerally -the -unit ,which .comprises .the .organ-stop selector .of this invention kand includes a .base frame 14, having a VU-shaped yconfiguration in plane View with integral legs or .ends 16.

As best shown in FIGURE l, the legs v16 include bearing housings -13 for supporting the .two ends y20 This .entire .unit or ftrame -14-13 ,is .adapted to -straddle a .plurality Vof stop-tablets 24 ofanorgan-Z and the unit, itself, is properly secured 30V vall .as best shown in FIGUR-E ,1. Each stop-tablet V24 `to the organ -by rany suitable means such as screws .28,

,has Va heel 27 and a toe 29, as best shown in FIGS. .4

Vand 5 `of .the drawings.

Mounted Vfor .limited frictional rotation on the yshaft 22 is jafplurality o f semi-circular disks 30, a part of one of which is shownenlarged-in FIGURE 3, and these .halfdislgs or stop-tablet actuatorsare normally held in neutral radial position-on the shaft 22 ,by means .of detents 32 kwhich comprise spring-pressed balls in sockets in .the fhalf-diSks,

This `assures against inadvertent vrotation of any one or `more actuators.

-The peripheral edge 4of the arcuate Vportion of each actuator is provided-Withholes or openings for .the reception Yof 'headed elements or pins 34, which are inserted in a desired location on the outersurface of an actuator so .that .reach ,plin will -be in the `path of travel of a ganglever 36, 38, 4t) or 42 (FIGURE 4) as `may be selected. Referring now to FIGURE 2, if each stop-tablet were .marked to 'indicate .a certain instrument Such as T for 0, under the gang-lever 3.6.

The ,gang-levers 36, 38, 40 `and 4Z (FIGURE .4) are shown'as atbar StOCk and are bent at the ends to ,present a U-,shaped configuration, and openings Yare provided lat they extreme ends through which the -shaft 22 projects.

I nasmuch as .the gang-levers are all pivotally mounted on the shaft 2,2, they maybe accordingly rotated vso as to radially .urge any pre-selected actuators 30 to cause the toe of the stop-tablet to be depressed, `thereby vinitiating means to Vproduce that particular instrumental .sound effect.

Byinse'rting `pins 34 into desired actuators 3.9, many cornybinations may be obtained.

Suitable linger bars 44a, 44h, 44e and 44d may be iixed to the gang-levers 36, 38, 40 and 42 to facilitate Veasy movement `of the levers in a minimum space of time.

3 Additional finger or cancel bar 46 is provided as best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 which provides for the immediate return or cancelling of all previously manipulated stop-tablets to their neutral position. The arm 48 of Vfinger bar 46 is xed to a gang-lever 50, both the arms 48 and the lever 50 being pivoted on the shaft 22. The lever 50 overlies the pins 52, one each being xed in the periphery of the actuators 30 so that when the iinger bar 46 is pushed, the lever 50 will bear against all of the pins 52, which have previously been brought into close relation with the lever 50 as best shown in FIGURE 5. Thus, by clockwise motion of the lever 50, actuators 30 push down on the heels of the stop-tablets and return the same to neutral position.

In FIGURES 6 and 7, a modied form of linger-bar arrangement is shown wherein extension bars 56, 58, 60 and 62 are positioned in what might be described a step arrangement, and in this connection, brackets 64, 66, 68 Y and 70 are conveniently positioned between the actuators 30 and arranged in staggered relationship, whereby the pins 34 may be readily inserted and also removed from the openings in the actuators.

FIGURES 8, 9 and 10 illustrate another form of the invention wherein the stop-tablet actuators are moved in a rectilinear path instead of an arcuate path as are the actuators in the previously described units. In this ernbodiment, a frame 80 is provided which comprises end members 82, and longitudinal members 84, the latter being xed in any suitable manner to the end members 82, which are in the form of plates as best shown in FIG- URE 9. The members 84 are provided with openings 86 for the slidably mounted stop-tablet actuators 88. These actuators can be in the form of rods of any suitable or desirable cross-section as square, circular or the like, and the openings 86 may be lined with felt or some other suitable material so as to create a certain amount of friction which is necessary to maintain them in any desired position. The front edge of each actuator 88 is provided with openings for pins 90, similar to the pins 34 as best illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5.

Finger-bars 92 are mounted on the ends of levers 95 and these levers are pivotally mounted in the rear ends on shafts 94, 96, 98 and 100 (FIGURE 9). Each pair of levers 95 of linger bars 92 is threaded onto a longitudinal rod 102 which overlies the pins 90 whereby a downward pressure and corresponding movement of the bar-92 will cause all the pins 90 in the path of travel of a rod 102 to be moved downwardlyr as will also the particular actuator in which that particular pin 90 is inserted, thereby initiating the instrument associated with the stop-tablet so depressed.

Each of the shafts 94, 96, 98 and 100 is fixed in the end frame members or plates 82 as best shown in FIGURE 10, and tubular spacers 104 are provided to properly position the levers along the supporting shafts 94, 96, 98 and 100.

An additional shaft 106 (FIGURE 9), also mounted at the end plates 82 similarly to the shafts 94, 96, 98 and 100, acts as a pivot for bell-cranks 108 which extend upwardly in relationship to the actuator bars 88 and terminate at points above the upper ends of said bars, and also above the uppermost linger-bar 92. These bellcranks 108 are connected at their upper ends by an additional linger or cancel-bar 110. The lower, inner ends of the bell-cranks 108 have aligned openings therein through which openings is threaded a rod 112 which overlies all of the stop-tablets 24, whereby, pushing on the bar 110 from the position shown at the full lines in FIG- URE 9 to the position shown in the dottedlines in that ligure will return all stop-tablets, having previously been `moved or initiated, to the neutral position. A helical tension spring 114 is connected to the rod 112 and urges the bell-cranks 108 in a counter-clockwise relationship from the dotted lines to the full lines of FIGURE 9 when -the further movement is arrested by the frame members 84 at the top of the unit. It will be understood that, while the pins 34 and 90 illustrate one means of providing a selective apparatus to produce the various combinations or groups of tablets to create a certain effect, these pins could be replaced by pivoted members which would be a permanent part of the actuator thereby eliminating the necessity of inserting and removing pins to produce certain combinations. Y

Thus, in FIGURES 11 and 12, a stop-table actuator 200 is shown having therein a plurality, though one only is shown, of slots 202, in each of which is mounted a blade type of selector 204, said selector performing the same function as do the headed pins 34 and 90 in the previously described units. The blade type selectors 204 are pivoted on pins 206 and thus the selector may be readily liipped from the position shown in dotted lines to that shown in full lines so as to bring the projecting tab 205 into registration with the gang-bar, or, to pivot it into inactive relation as indicated by the dotted line position.

Additionally, stop-tablets in some organs are sometimes mounted in a vertical stop-board and thus have the outer ends only protruding from the board. These outer ends are known in the trade as toes and in such cases, the toe could be used to both initiate and cancel by a very simple change in the mechanism.

For example, in FIGURES 13 and 14, a device is illustrated in which the frame consists of end members 210 and `longitudinal tie members 212 securely ixed in the end members. The frame may be suitably attached by Y screws 211 to the stop-board of an organ 214, whose stop-tablets 216 project therefrom in a well known manner. Shafts 218, 220, 222 and 224 are fixed in the end frame 210 in much the same manner as shafts 94, 96, 98 and 100, shown in FIGURE 9. Also, levers 226 with their linger-bars 228 and rods 230 all simulate inY function, as previously described with reference to FIG- URE 9. The stop-tablet actuators 232 in this arrangement have their lower ends bifuracted as at 234 so that the ends of the stop-tablets may be received therein. Thus, byV depressing any of the finger-bars, the stop-tablets are likewise depressed, and, in order to cancel, pins 236 are provided on each of the actuators 232 and function similar to those previously described. The cancel bar 240 in this arrangement, is pivoted at the top of the unit, a rod 242 providing the bearing therefor. Levers or brackets 244 of the cancel bar 240 are bell-crank in configuration and one end of each of the bell-cranks is bifurcated to receive a rod 246, the ends of which are xed in the upper ends of slide links 248 mounted on the inside face of the frame-end members 210. Thus, pushing the cancel bar 240 will raise the links 248 and'by means of the rod 250 connecting the lower ends of the links 248, all previously depressed actuators are returned to neutral position. The cancel bar is returned to normal position by means of a spring 252. Selectors 204 are shown mounted in the actuators 232. The longitudinal frame members 212 are provided with holes throughV which the actuators 226 slide and may be aligned as previously specified.

Any organist often nds it necessary to make up combinations of instrumentation and/or sound efects as may be required by the musical score or as he may wish to do extemporaneously, and these combinations obviously require changes as the passage in the score progresses. Also, certain combinations may be common to a rendition and thus call for repetition after having produced other combinations. In ordinary practice the performer is forced to make up these combinations by depressing each one of the various stops, cancel them again, this being an individual operation for each hand, then make up new combinations. This is obviously very time-consuming- The above described invention can eliminate such shortcomings by providing a rapid simultaneous selection of a plurality of pre-determined organ stops by a single motion yof the organists hand or finger.

It will be further noted that the apparatus of this invention has no critical adjustments, has a minimum mechanism, can be economically produced, is very rugged and extremely unlikely to get out of order even when used to the fullest extent. Any suitable material may be employed.

With little or no change, the apparatus of this invention is applicable to any type of organ which uses standard stop-tablets and not necessarily limited to any number of pre-sets or any particular number of stop-tablets. One or more of the modications shown and described will make this invention available for adaptation to practically any organ now on the market, either as an originally built-in component or as an accessory to be applied to existing instruments.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention; and I, therefore, do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. lIn an organ stop selector, the combination of: a frame adapted to be mounted adjacent a plurality of organ stop tablets having a transverse axis of pivot; a plurality of actuators arranged across said stop tablets, each of said actuators having extremities engageable, respectively, with the heel and toe of an associated stop tablet; means mounting said actuators for pivotal movement in one direction for engaging the toes of said stop tablets and in the opposite direction for engaging the heels of said stop tablets; an actuator bar pivotally mounted to said frame and oriented to pivotally sweep over said actuators in their direction of pivotal movement; and a plurality of elements mounted to certain ones of said actuators in the path of said actuator bar for engagement with said ac-tuator bar upon pivotal movement thereof whereby a single pivotal movement of said actuator bar can pivot said certain ones of said actuators to thereby pivot the associated stop tablets.

2. In an organ stop selector, the combination of: a frame adapted to be mounted adjacent a plurality of organ stop tablets having a transverse axis of pivot; a shaft carried by said frame transversely of said stop tablets and parallel with said axis of pivot; a plurality of arcuate actuators mounted upon said shaft for pivotal movement, each of said actuators including portions engageable with the heel and toe of its associated stop tablet upon pivotal movement inwardly and outwardly, respectively, each of said actuators further including a plurality of openings in the arcuate periphery thereof; a plurality of pins mounted in certain of said openings in said actuators; and an actuator bar pivotally mounted to said frame and oriented to pivotally sweep over the arcuate peripheries of said actuators for engagement with said pins in certain of said openings whereby a single pivotal movement of said actuator bar can pivot a plurality of said actuators upon engagement with the pins mounted thereon to thereby pivot a plurality of the stop tablets.

3. In an organ stop selector, the combination of: a frame adapted to be mounted adjacent a plurality of organ stop tablets having a transverse axis of pivot; a plurality of actuators arranged across said stop tablets, each of said actuators having extremities engageable, respectively, with the heel and toe of an associated stop tablet; means mounting said actuators for pivotal movement in one direction for engaging the toes of said stop tablets and in the opposite direction for engaging the heels of said stop tablets; an actuator bar pivotally mounted to said frame and oriented to pivotally sweep over said actuators in their direction of pivotal movement; and a plurality of elements mounted to certain ones of said actuators and pivotable into and out of the path of said actuator bar, said elements when in the path of said actuator bar being engaged thereby upon pivotal movement thereof whereby a single pivotal movement of said actuator bar can pivot said certain ones of said actuators to thereby pivot the associated stop tablets.

4. In an organ stop selector, the combination of: a frame adapted to be mounted adjacent a plurality of organ stop tablets having a transverse axis of pivot; a plurality of actuators arranged across said stop tablets, each of said actuators having extremities engageable, respectively, with the heel and toe of an associated stop tablet; means mounting said actuators for pivotal movement in one direction for engaging the toes of said stop tablets and in the opposite direction for engaging the heels of said stop tablets; an actuator bar pivotally mounted to said frame and oriented to pivotally sweep over said actuators in their direction of pivotal movement; a plurality of elements mounted to certain ones of said actuators in the path of said actuator bar for engagement with said actuator bar upon pivotal movement thereof whereby a single pivotal movement of said actuator bar can pivot said certain ones of said actuators to thereby pivot the associated stop tablets; and a cancel bar pivotally mounted to said frame and oriented to pivotally sweep over said actuators in their direction of pivotal movement for pivoting said actuators in a direction opposite to the direction of pivotal movement thereof elected by said actuator bar.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 177,997 Florey May 30, 1876 456,768 Morris July 28, 1891 691,501 Stollewerk Ian. 2l, 1902 873,364 Funkhouser Dec. 10, 1907 1,164,431 Trostel Dec. 14, 1915 1,234,814 Standridge July 31, 1917 1,279,492 Austin Sept. 24, 1918 1,796,350 Von Gizinsky Mar. 17, 1931 1,901,623 Austin Mar. 14, 1933 

1. IN AN ORGAN STOP SELECTOR, THE COMBINATION OF: A FRAME ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ADJACENT A PLURALITY OF ORGAN STOP TABLETS HAVING A TRANSVERSE AXIS OF PIVOT; A PLURALITY OF ACTUATORS ARRANGED ACROSS SAID STOP TABLETS, EACH OF SAID ACTUATORS HAVING EXTREMITIES ENGAGEABLE, RESPECTIVELY, WITH THE HEEL AND TOE OF AN ASSOCIATED STOP TABLET; MEANS MOUNTING SAID ACTUATORS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION FOR ENGAGING THE TOES OF SAID STOP TABLETS AND IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FOR ENGAGING THE HEELS OF SAID STOP TABLETS; AN ACTUATOR BAR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO SAID FRAME AND ORIENTED TO PIVOTALLY SWEEP OVER SAID ACTUATORS IN THEIR DIRECTION OF PIVOTAL MOVEMENT; AND A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTS MOUNTED TO CERTAIN ONES OF SAID ACTUATORS IN THE PATH OF SAID ACTUATOR BAR FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ACTUATOR BAR UPON PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREOF WHEREBY A SINGLE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATOR BAR CAN PIVOT SAID CERTAIN ONES OF SAID ACTUATORS TO THEREBY PIVOT THE ASSOCIATED STOP TABLETS. 